Track-cleaning apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. R. L. MASON. TRACK CLEANING APPARATUS.

No. 513,403. Patented Jan.-23, 1894.

Rah TZLJZQS 024/ Wilgcsscs (No Model.) J 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R; L. MASON.

TRACK CLEANING APPARATUS.

no. 513,403. Patented Jan. 23, 1894.

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ROBERT L. MASON, OF BUTTE, MONTANA.

TRACK-CLEANINGLAPPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,403, dated January23, 1894.

Application filed October 5, 1893. Serial No. 487.217. (NomodeL) To 00whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT L. MASON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Butte city, in the county of Silver Bow and State ofMontana, have invented a new and useful Track-Cleaning Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a sweeper and cleaner for street car tracks, andit has for its ob ect to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficientconstruction adapted to be applied to any ordinary form-of street carand a cap capable of easy adjustment whereby it may bethrown in and outof gear with the driving shaft at the will of the operator.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear in thefollowing description and novel features thereof will be particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure l is a reverse perspective view of an apparatusemboding my Invention applied in the operative position to a street car,the brushes being shown in their lowered or operative position. Fig. 2is a slde View with the brushes elevated and the mechanism out of gear.Fig. 3 is a plan View of the apparatus.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawmgs.

1 designates a portion of a street car body, 2 a wheel carrying axle and3 the standards or hangers in the lower ends of which is formed thebearing for said axle.

The frame of the sweeping apparatus comprlses essentially the side arms4 which are swiveled upon the axle near the extremities of the latter byni'eans of terminal longitudinal slots 5 with which said arms areprovided to engage the axle. J ournaled in bearings in the front ends ofsaid arms is a brush carrying shaft 6 provided with the fixed rotatablebrushes 7. The axle carries a gear wheel 8 the motion of which iscommunicated to a spur wheel 9 upon the brush carrying shaft by means ofintermediate pinions 10 which are carried by the shafts 11 whereby thebrush carrying shaft rotates in the opposite direction to the axle.

12 represents depending guide loops through which extends the shaft 6and connected to the same shaft by means of a chain 13 is an operatinglever lt whereby the free end of the frame of the sweeper may beelevated.

Springs 15 connect the arms of the frame to the axle to normally holdthe former in their operative positions, as shown in Fig. 1, and securedto the arms and fulcrumed eccentrically in relation to the frame areshifting blocks 16, whereby when the free end of the sweeper is elevatedsaid arms are thrown forward against the tension of the springs 15 andthe brush carrying shaft is thrown out of gear with the axle. In theconstruction which I have illustrated the fulcrum of the shifting blockis produced by causing the extremity of saidblock to bear against afixed portion of the car body, such as the hanger, above the plane ofthe axle.

The operation of the sweeping mechanism will be readily understood fromthe foregoing description and it will be noted, furthermore,

that when the frame is lowered to the position shown in Fig. 1 the brushcarrying shaft is arranged in gear with the axle and is held in suchposition by the action of these springs whereby lost motion caused bywear, shrinkage of the parts, &c., is compensated and when the frame iselevated by means of the operating lever the eccentricity of theshifting block throws the brush carrying shaft out of gear with theaxle, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

It will be understood that, in practice, various changes in the form,proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of myinvention.

The brushes which I have shown and prefer to use in connection with myimproved apparatus are constructed of wire, and the bristles arearranged in separated groups or bunches, whereby the brushes arerendered self-cleaning to prevent clogging with snow, 850., the cleaningaction being due to the elas ticity of the bristles and the freedom ofmovement afforded by the intervals.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a trackcleaning apparatus, the com bination with a driving axle, of a pivotalframe swiveled upon said axle, a brush carrying shaft journaled upon theframe and connected by intermediate gearing with the axle, operatingdevices to elevate the free end of the frame, and means whereby theframe is guided eccentrically to the axle, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a driving axle, of a frame provided with sidearms having slotted extremities to receive said axle, springs tonormally hold the slotted extremities of the arms in engagement with theaxle, a brush carrying shaft journaled upon the frame and connected byintermediate gearing with the axle, an eccentrically fulcrumed shiftingblock secured to the frame and having its fulcrum arranged above theplane of the axle, and means to elevate the free end of the frame,substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a driving axle, of a frame swiveled thereon andhaving a slot ted connection with the axle, springs to hold said framein operative position, depending guide loops engaging a transverse shaftof the frame, a brush carrying shaft journaled upon the frame andconnected by intermediate gearing with the axle, and means for elevatingthe free end of the frame, substantially as specified.

4. The combination with a driving axle carrying a gear wheel, of a framehaving side arms provided with slotted extremities to engage the axle,eccentrically fulcrumed shifting blocks carried by the frame, springs tohold the slotted extremities of the arms in engagement with the axle, abrush carrying shaft connected by intermediate gearing to the gearwheelwhich is fixed to the axle, pendent guiding loops engaging thetransverse shaft of the frame, and elevating mechanism comprising anoperating lever and a chain connecting said lever to the frame, wherebythe free end of the latter may be elevated to throw the brush carryingshaft out of gear with the axle, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT L. MASON.

\Vitnesses:

SAMUEL H. ALMoN, GARNER T. POTTER.

